Extravaganza even offers fun for those who don't love sports

But this weekend, fans get the chance to meet their football idols
face-to-face as part of a three-day Sports Extravaganza at the American
Bank Center.

Among them: Dat Nguyen, who starred at Rockport-Fulton High School
before playing for Texas A&M University, and Ed "Too Tall" Jones
who both will make appearances today. On Sunday, Drew Pearson and Randy
White also will meet fans and sign autographs.

Sports And More

What: Texas Sports
Extravaganza

Where: American Bank Center

When: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday

Cost: $7/adults; $4/seniors
and children ages 6 to 12; free/ages 5 and younger.

On Friday, two Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, dressed in their signature
star-spangled, blue-and-white outfits, complete with tantalizingly
placed stars, made a few devoted fans' dreams come true with a "meet
and greet."

And what if you're not a Cowboys fan (as if such people exist in
Texas)?

There's plenty for you folks, too.

The event boasts more than 160 booths featuring rare trading cards,
the latest in sports gear and video games and a section devoted
exclusively to women looking for the hottest fashions in clothing,
swimsuits, jewelry and health techniques.

Music of all sorts and entertainment by a local roller derby team, a
fashion show and gymnastics performance will add to the variety on
stage this weekend, said Roland Belyeu of Beldu Productions.

"We tried to put something together for the whole family, not just
sports fans," he said.

But collectors won't be disappointed.

One booth offers an authentic Dallas Cowboys helmet autographed by
Troy Aikman and a Reggie Bush trading card complete with a piece of his
New Orleans Saints jersey.

On Friday, one young visitor to the event made her way past the
video game booth and another selling slot machines straight from Las
Vegas and Reno to chat with Sparky, a talking Dalmatian in a remote
controlled fire truck who helps the Corpus Christi Fire Department
teach children about fire safety.

After giving the correct answer to the robotic dog about what to do
in a fire, Joni McGillis, 2, was outfitted with her very own
firefighter hat.

Her father John McGillis, 41, said his family would try to visit as
many booths as possible this weekend.